HC scraps Tarique acquittal

Part of the plot to destroy Zia family: BNP

The High Court (HC) yesterday sentenced BNP senior vice-chairman Tarique Rahman to seven-year imprisonment and slapped a fine of Tk. 20.41 crore on him after quashing a trial court verdict that had acquitted him in a money-laundering case.
However, the HC upheld the trial court verdict that had sentenced Giasuddin Al Mamun, friend and business partner of Rahman, to seven-year imprisonment for the same offence. The HC bench commuted Mamun’s previous fine amount of Tk. 40 crore to Tk. 20.41 crore, which is equal to Rahman’s fine amount. BNP, in an immediate reaction, termed the HC order overturning the judge court verdict of acquittal as a ‘political vendetta’.
The HC bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Amir Hossain sentenced Rahman, 48, for siphoning off money to Singapore between 2003 and 2007, when the BNP-led government was in power. It directed the lower court to issue a conviction warrant against Rahman.
“Since the convict, Md Tarique Rahman, is absconding, the sentence of imprisonment as awarded shall be executed after his arrest or when he surrenders before the trial court,” the HC verdict reads.
The HC bench also directed
the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to take necessary legal steps i to prosecute Md Moyazzam Hosen, chairman of Hosaf Group, Khadiza Islam, chairman of Nirman Construction, Mayer Sairee and Merina Jaman, who allegedly aided the convicts in gaining the laundered money.
The court said the laundered money, Tk. 20 crore, would be kept in Bangladesh Bank until the fine is realized.
“This kind of corruption being backed by political influence threatens good governance, sustainable development, and democratic process,” the court observed in its verdict.
“Society should wake up to condemn and prevent political patronisation in accomplishing such organised financial crimes, as they affect the country’s economy and development,” it noted.
Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokan, counsel for Rahman, said they were taken aback by the verdict. “We're astonished and shocked. Tarique was not involved in money laundering,” he claimed. He also said that Mamun would appeal against the HC verdict. “We'll place our argument on behalf of Tarique during the hearing of Mamun’s appeal,” he added.
Whether the verdict on Rahman would be challenged will be decided later as he is abroad, said another defence counsel, Md Jalaluddin.
On the other hand, ACC counsel Khurshid Alam Khan said Rahman has to surrender before filing an appeal. “He has to turn himself in first. He will get 30 days to challenge the verdict,” he added.
Meanwhile, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said the HC order was an attempt to keep Tarique away from politics.
“It's an attempt to keep him away from the nation's politics,” he said.  
The BNP chairperson's press wing official, Shairul Kabir Khan, quoted Alamgir as having said: ‘The verdict was motivated by political rivalry.” In a written statement, Fakhrul condemned the sentencing of Tarique, saying it shows the government’s vindictive attitude.
Alamgir alleged that the government was implementing its plan to eliminate nationalist forces, including party chairperson Khaleda Zia, Tarique Rahman and party leaders and activists. This was unprecedented, he said.
He accused the government of seeking political vengeance by using the ACC as a weapon to implicate Tarique in a false and politically motivated money  laundering case.
“The present ruling dispensation is desperately using state machinery to eliminate the opposition,” he said.
The BNP leader, who is now in London, claimed that there was no proper evidence in the case. The judge's court had acquitted him as it found that he was not involved in money laundering.
“The move is clear now with the verdict, though it has no facts to prove Tarique's involvement. The government is so desperate that it forced the judge who gave the acquittal order to leave the country,” he said.
At a press conference in the UK BNP office, Alamgir said the ruling AL has put the final nail in the coffin of democracy by taking the move to eliminate the BNP leadership from politics.
Addressing a press conference at the party’s central office, BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi alleged that the seven-year imprisonment verdict against Tarique is part of the government plans to destroy Zia’s family and weaken the party.
Meanwhile, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia sat in an emergency meeting with her party’s senior leaders yesterday night, following the High Court verdict punishing her eldest son Tarique Rahman in a money laundering case, reports UNB.
The meeting began around 9:30 pm at the BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office.
Party standing committee members Khandker Mosharraf Hossain, Moudud Ahmed, ASM Hannan Shah, Mirza Abbas, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy and Nazrul Islam Khan, vice chairmen Abdullah Al Noman, Hafijuddin Ahmed, Selima Rahman, chairperson’s advisers Advocate Khandker Mahbub Hossain, Advocate Joynal Abedin, Shamsuzzaman Dudu and senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, among others, joined the meeting.
Coming out of the meeting around 10 pm, Rizvi said the party leaders are discussing the verdict, the possible next legal steps and the country’s overall situation.
He said they will inform the media about the outcomes of the meeting through a press conference at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office today (Friday) at 11 am.
The ACC had filed a case against Rahman and Mamun in October 2009, alleging that they had siphoned off money to Singapore between 2003 and 2007.
On November 17, 2013, a Dhaka court acquitted Rahman and sentenced Mamun to seven years’ imprisonment, and also imposed a fine of Tk. 40 crore in the case. On December 5 that year, the ACC appealed to the HC against Rahman’s acquittal.
The HC on January 19, 2014, asked the lower court to send the case records and ordered Rahman to surrender before the trial court. The HC, however, asked the trial court to grant him bail after his surrender.
This case is one of 16, including one on the August 21 grenade attack, filed against Rahman. He was arrested on March 7, 2007, during a crackdown by a military-backed caretaker government. Out on parole, Rahman went to London in September 2008 for “treatment” and has been living there ever since. Mamu n is now in jail.

HC scraps Tarique acquittal

Part of the plot to destroy Zia family: BNP

The High Court (HC) yesterday sentenced BNP senior vice-chairman Tarique Rahman to seven-year imprisonment and slapped a fine of Tk. 20.41 crore on him after quashing a trial court verdict that had acquitted him in a money-laundering case. However, the HC upheld the trial court verdict that had sentenced Giasuddin Al Mamun, friend and business partner of Rahman, to seven-year imprisonment for the same offence. The HC bench commuted Mamuns previous fine amount of Tk. 40 crore to Tk. 20.41 crore, which is equal to Rahmans fine amount. BNP, in an immediate reaction, termed the HC order overturning the judge court verdict of acquittal as a political vendetta. The HC bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Amir Hossain sentenced Rahman, 48, for siphoning off money to Singapore between 2003 and 2007, when the BNP-led government was in power. It directed the lower court to issue a conviction warrant against Rahman. Since the convict, Md Tarique Rahman, is absconding, the sentence of imprisonment as awarded shall be executed after his arrest or when he surrenders before the trial court, the HC verdict reads. The HC bench also directed the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to take necessary legal steps i to prosecute Md Moyazzam Hosen, chairman of Hosaf Group, Khadiza Islam, chairman of Nirman Construction, Mayer Sairee and Merina Jaman, who allegedly aided the convicts in gaining the laundered money. The court said the laundered money, Tk. 20 crore, would be kept in Bangladesh Bank until the fine is realized. This kind of corruption being backed by political influence threatens good governance, sustainable development, and democratic process, the court observed in its verdict. Society should wake up to condemn and prevent political patronisation in accomplishing such organised financial crimes, as they affect the countrys economy and development, it noted. Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokan, counsel for Rahman, said they were taken aback by the verdict. Were astonished and shocked. Tarique was not involved in money laundering, he claimed. He also said that Mamun would appeal against the HC verdict. Well place our argument on behalf of Tarique during the hearing of Mamuns appeal, he added. Whether the verdict on Rahman would be challenged will be decided later as he is abroad, said another defence counsel, Md Jalaluddin. On the other hand, ACC counsel Khurshid Alam Khan said Rahman has to surrender before filing an appeal. He has to turn himself in first. He will get 30 days to challenge the verdict, he added. Meanwhile, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said the HC order was an attempt to keep Tarique away from politics. Its an attempt to keep him away from the nations politics, he said. The BNP chairpersons press wing official, Shairul Kabir Khan, quoted Alamgir as having said: The verdict was motivated by political rivalry. In a written statement, Fakhrul condemned the sentencing of Tarique, saying it shows the governments vindictive attitude. Alamgir alleged that the government was implementing its plan to eliminate nationalist forces, including party chairperson Khaleda Zia, Tarique Rahman and party leaders and activists. This was unprecedented, he said. He accused the government of seeking political vengeance by using the ACC as a weapon to implicate Tarique in a false and politically motivated money laundering case. The present ruling dispensation is desperately using state machinery to eliminate the opposition, he said. The BNP leader, who is now in London, claimed that there was no proper evidence in the case. The judges court had acquitted him as it found that he was not involved in money laundering. The move is clear now with the verdict, though it has no facts to prove Tariques involvement. The government is so desperate that it forced the judge who gave the acquittal order to leave the country, he said. At a press conference in the UK BNP office, Alamgir said the ruling AL has put the final nail in the coffin of democracy by taking the move to eliminate the BNP leadership from politics. Addressing a press conference at the partys central office, BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi alleged that the seven-year imprisonment verdict against Tarique is part of the government plans to destroy Zias family and weaken the party. Meanwhile, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia sat in an emergency meeting with her partys senior leaders yesterday night, following the High Court verdict punishing her eldest son Tarique Rahman in a money laundering case, reports UNB. The meeting began around 9:30 pm at the BNP chairpersons Gulshan office. Party standing committee members Khandker Mosharraf Hossain, Moudud Ahmed, ASM Hannan Shah, Mirza Abbas, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy and Nazrul Islam Khan, vice chairmen Abdullah Al Noman, Hafijuddin Ahmed, Selima Rahman, chairpersons advisers Advocate Khandker Mahbub Hossain, Advocate Joynal Abedin, Shamsuzzaman Dudu and senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, among others, joined the meeting. Coming out of the meeting around 10 pm, Rizvi said the party leaders are discussing the verdict, the possible next legal steps and the countrys overall situation. He said they will inform the media about the outcomes of the meeting through a press conference at BNPs Nayapaltan central office today (Friday) at 11 am. The ACC had filed a case against Rahman and Mamun in October 2009, alleging that they had siphoned off money to Singapore between 2003 and 2007. On November 17, 2013, a Dhaka court acquitted Rahman and sentenced Mamun to seven years imprisonment, and also imposed a fine of Tk. 40 crore in the case. On December 5 that year, the ACC appealed to the HC against Rahmans acquittal. The HC on January 19, 2014, asked the lower court to send the case records and ordered Rahman to surrender before the trial court. The HC, however, asked the trial court to grant him bail after his surrender. This case is one of 16, including one on the August 21 grenade attack, filed against Rahman. He was arrested on March 7, 2007, during a crackdown by a military-backed caretaker government. Out on parole, Rahman went to London in September 2008 for treatment and has been living there ever since. Mamu n is now in jail.